Refining a Search Using Physiological Information

Abstract

This document describes techniques and devices for a radar recognition-aided search. Through use of a radar-based recognition system, gestures made by, and physiological information about, persons can be determined. In the case of physiological information, the techniques can use this information to refine a search. For example, if a person requests a search for a coffee shop, the techniques may refine the search to coffee shops in the direction that the person is walking. In the case of a gesture, the techniques may refine or base a search solely on the gesture. Thus, a search for information about a store, car, or tree can be made responsive to a gesture pointing at the store, car, or tree with or without explicit entry of a search query.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a device, the method comprising:
 determining physiological information associated with a person;   detecting verbalization expressed by the person, the verbalization comprising a question;   causing a search to be performed, the search based on the question and refined using the physiological information; and   providing search results responsive to the question.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the physiological information comprises determining the physiological information associated with the person via a radar-based recognition system of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing, via the radar-based recognition system, a radar field that reflects off at least a portion of the person; and   sensing, via the radar-based recognition system, the physiological information associated with the person based on reflections of the radar field.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physiological information relates to at least one of the following:
 a biological characteristic or condition of the person; or   a physical orientation of the person.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the biological characteristic or condition comprises at least one of the following:
 a body temperature of the person;   a skin temperature of the person;   a heart rate of the person;   an indication of perspiration on the person;   a hunger level of the person;   a stress level of the person; or   a hydration level of the person.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refining of the search comprises refining the search sufficient to provide the search results that vary in at least one of relevancy, quality, verbosity, temporal proximity, or geographic proximity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the question indicates a desire for a drink;   the physiological information indicates that the person is dehydrated; and   the refining of the search comprises refining the search based on the indication that the person is dehydrated sufficient to provide the search results prioritizing a proximity to the person and a relevancy to the question.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the question indicates a desire for a drink;   the physiological information indicates that the person is hydrated; and   the refining of the search comprises refining the search based on the indication that the person is hydrated sufficient to provide the search results prioritizing ratings and a relevancy to the question.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the question indicates a desire for food or drink;   the physiological information indicates an orientation of the person; and   the refining of the search comprises refining the search based on the orientation of the person sufficient to provide the search results along a direction corresponding to the orientation of the person and a relevancy to the question.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing an in-the-air gesture performed by the person using a radar-based recognition system of the device,   wherein the causing the search to be performed comprises refining the search using the physiological information and a determined meaning of the in-the-air gesture that is relevant to the question.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the in-the-air gesture has multiple potential meanings; and   the method further comprises determining the meaning of the in-the-air gesture based on a comparison of the multiple potential meanings associated with the in-the-air gesture in combination with the question.   
     
     
         12 . A computing device comprising:
 a search manager configured to cause the computing device to:
 identify a verbalization expressed by a person, the verbalization comprising a question; 
 cause a search to be performed, the search based on the question and refined using physiological information associated with the person; and 
 provide, via the computing device, search results responsive to the question. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a radar based-recognition system configured to determine the physiological information associated with the person.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the physiological information comprises at least one of the following:
 an orientation of the person;   a body temperature of the person;   a skin temperature of the person;   a heart rate of the person;   an indication of perspiration on the person;   a hunger level of the person;   a stress level of the person; or   a hydration level of the person.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 12 , further comprising a display configured to present the search results. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the computing device comprises a portable wireless communication device being a smartphone or a wearable device. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the person is a user of the computing device. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, responsive to execution by a processor, cause a device to:
 determine physiological information associated with a person;   detect verbalization expressed by the person, the verbalization comprising a question;   perform a search, the search based on the question and refined using the physiological information; and   provide search results responsive to the question.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium causes the device to determine physiological information associated with the person based on received reflections from a radar field that interacts with at least a portion of the person. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the physiological information comprises at least one of the following:
 an orientation of the person;   a body temperature of the person;   a skin temperature of the person;   a heart rate of the person;   an indication of perspiration on the person;   a hunger level of the person;   a stress level of the person; or   a hydration level of the person.